China warns would-be protesters that policing will be tight during Olympics

AP , BEIJING

China will not tolerate unauthorized parades, demonstrations or other gatherings during next year's Beijing Olympic Games, a police spokesman said in statement published yesterday.

The announcement by Public Security Ministry press officer Wu Heping puts on notice a range of groups from religious rights activists to environmentalists who hope to harness the Games' visibility to publicize their causes.

"Any group or individual who stages a gathering, parade, or demonstration during the Beijing Olympic Games period must respect Chinese law," Wu said at a news conference, transcripts of which were posted on official Web sites yesterday.

"As to those legal activities, police will protect them according to the law. As for those activities that are illegal, we police will handle them according to the law," Wu said.

Chinese law technically permits protests and other similar actions, but they require applications that are almost never approved. Those who dare even make such requests can be subject to surveillance, harassment or arrest, especially if the cause involved is seen to challenge Chinese Communist Party authority.

China's one-party government attracts international criticism and the possibility of protests by critics of the regime are among the challenges to Olympic organizers, along with air pollution and traffic.

In a preview of possible developments next year, various groups issued statements or held demonstrations ahead of the one-year countdown to the Games on Aug. 8, criticizing lack of human rights or press freedoms.

Among the events, a group of activists hung a banner on the Great Wall calling for Tibetan independence.

China is also under fire for its support for regimes such as Sudan and Myanmar. Chinese embassies have been picketed over those issues, with many of the protesters calling for an Olympic boycott or otherwise linking their complaints to the Games.